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Press Releases

Voice of the Faithful National Statement -- Reform Movement Says Voices Heard with Rigali Resignation

NEWTON, Mass., July 20, 2011 -- Cardinal Justin Rigali’s resignation as archbishop of Philadelphia shows clearly that the Vatican is beginning to hear faithful Catholic voices, according to reform group Voice of the Faithful.

Pope Benedict XVI accepted Rigali’s resignation letter yesterday, July 19, submitted as required last year when he turned 75, several months before he was expected to step down. His successor, Denver archbishop Charles Chaput, was announced during an archdiocesan press conference, also July 19.

News Release - More Catholic Clergy Sex Crimes & Cover-ups Detailed in Ireland Cloyne Report

NEWTON, Mass., July 13, 2011 – Clearly Catholic bishops still do not understand how their actions put children at risk, said Dan Bartley, president of the worldwide Catholic Church reform group Voice of the Faithful, as Ireland’s government today released the Cloyne Report on Catholic clergy sexual abuse.

News Release -- U.S. Bishops Must Hold Each Other Accountable, Roman Catholic Reform Group Says

NEWTON, Mass., June 29, 2011 – U.S. bishops must finally institute strong measures of fraternal correction when bishops fail to follow their own Charter for the Protection of Children and Young people after clergy are accused of child sexual abuse, according the Roman Catholic Church reform and abuse survivor support group Voice of the Faithful.

News Release -- U.S. Bishops Meeting in Seattle Fail to Address Fundamental Flaws in Charter to Protect Children

NEWTON, Mass., June 17, 2011 – United States bishops failed to address fundamental flaws in their Charter to Protect Children and Young People during their spring meeting in Seattle, Wash., earlier this week, according to Dan Bartley, president of Voice of the Faithful, the worldwide Catholic Church reform organization.

Fund Benefiting Women in the Catholic Church Awards $10,000 to Wisconsin Woman Fired as Pastoral Associate

NEWTON, Mass., May 12, 2011 – A Wisconsin woman fired for no apparent cause from her parish position has been awarded $10,000 in the third round of grants from the Voice of the Faithful’s Emily & Rosemary Fund for Women in the Church. These grants support women who have lost employment in the Catholic Church because of injustice or discrimination.

Callard Named Voice of the Faithful Development Coordinator

NEWTON, Mass., May 6, 2011 – Sara Callard of Quincy has been named development coordinator for Voice of the Faithful, the 35,000-strong worldwide organization of Roman Catholics working to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity and reform governance and guidance of the Church to include a greater voice for non-ordained faithful.

Callard has more than a decade of fundraising experience and will be coordinating VOTF’s major donor efforts, direct mail appeals, e-mail solicitations and grant writing.

National Statement - Voice of the Faithful Finds Vatican's Rigali Appointment Disgraceful

NEWTON, Mass., April 211, 2011 – Voice of the Faithful, the worldwide organization working for Roman Catholic Church reform, views as disgraceful the Vatican’s recent appointment of Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, as special envoy to the bicentennial celebration of the birth of St. John Nepomuceno Neumann taking place in Prachatitz, Czech Republic, on June 18, 2011.

American Catholic Council Calls for Day of Prayer & Fasting, April 15

NEWTON, Mass., March 30, 2011 – American Catholic Council today called upon Catholics across the United States to set aside a day of prayer and fasting on Friday, April 15, for the renewal of the promises of the Holy Spirit in the Second Vatican Council. ACC is in the final stages of planning a national meeting in Detroit on Pentecost Weekend, June 10-12, 2011, to celebrate the spirit of the Second Vatican Council and to recommit Catholics to the renewal promised by Vatican II.

Voice of the Faithful Contributes to Extension of Virginia Statute of Limitations

NEWTON, Mass., Mar. 28, 2011 – An extension of Virginia’s sex abuse statute of limitations became law today with Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signature. Voice of the Faithful, the 35,000-strong international organization formed in response to Roman Catholic Clergy child sexual abuse, provided input as lawmakers debated the bill.

Voice of the Faithful Greater Philadelphia Recognizes Sister Maureen Turlish for her Work for Clergy Sexual Abuse Victims

NEWTON, Mass., March 25, 2011 – Voice of the Faithful Greater Philadelphia earlier the month recognized Sister Maureen Paul Turlish of New Castle, Del., a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, author, educator and clergy sexual abuse victim advocate, for her work for clergy sexual abuse victims. She received her accolades during VOTFGP’s annual spring meeting at Sugarloaf Hill on the Chestnut Hill College campus in Germantown, Penn., where she delivered a talk called “Justice and Renewal in the Church: A Journey.”

US Conference of Catholic Bishops President Must Investigate Child Sexual Abuse in Philadelphia & Dioceses Nationwide

Voice of the Faithful National Statement

NEWTON, Mass., March 15, 2011 – The clergy child sexual abuse scandal in Philadelphia and, by implication nationwide, must be investigated by Archbishop Timothy Dolan, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops president, according to the worldwide church reform group Voice of the Faithful. Bishops are not following the conference’s guidelines for handling child sexual abuse cases and at least one church official is charged with covering up abuse.

National Statement -- Voice of the Faithful Challenges U.S. Bishops to Follow Martin & O’Malley’s Lead

NEWTON, Mass., Mar. 2, 2011 – Voice of the Faithful, the worldwide organization working for Roman Catholic Church reform, challenges U.S. bishops to follow the example of Irish Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Cardinal Sean O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, who led a “Liturgy of Lament and Repentance,” Feb. 20, in St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland.

News Release -- Three Women Share $15,500 in Second Round of Voice of the Faithful Emily & Rosemary Fund Grants

NEWTON, Mass., Feb. 8, 2011 – Three women who reported losing employment because of discrimination are sharing $15,500 in awards from the second round of grants from the Voice of the Faithful’s Emily & Rosemary Fund for Women in the Church.

The recipients are Paula Beaton of Corpus Christi, Texas, Cathy Roldan of Vista, Calif., and Keisha Veryser of Charlevoix, Mich.

News Release -- New Clergy Sexual Abuse Revelations Prompt VOTF to Reaffirm Its 10 Steps to Resolve Scandal

NEWTON, Mass., Dec. 21, 2010 – Fresh, seemingly daily, revelations of clergy sexual abuse continue roiling the worldwide Roman Catholic Church and have prompted Voice of the Faithful (http://www.votf.org) to reaffirm its 10-step program to help resolve the scandal and institute church reforms.

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